A Yuletide Tale
by waterlit
Summary: Poor, in love, and trying to survive the festive season. [Kanda/femAllen]. AU.


Disclaimer: I don't own DGM.

Pairing: Kanda/femAllen

Summary: Poor, in love, and trying to survive the festive season.

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**[A Yuletide Tale]**

* * *

The fog is everywhere. The afternoon is almost over, as Allen walks down an empty street – everyone is still at work and the cold glares of the streetlamps are her only companions. The Christmas decorations are up – mistletoe wreaths dangle from shop fronts, and tiny bells glisten from display windows.

Allen stops at a window – there is a shirt on display, a white shirt, and it would be perfect for Kanda. She enters the shop – it is softly-lit, and a crystal-like chandelier hangs from the high ceiling. She rarely steps into such shops (because how could she ever afford to splurge on expensive items for herself?)

The salesgirl spots her; she walks slowly to Allen's side. Not bothering to disguise her snobby smile, she asks, "Ma'am, how may I help you?"

Allen forces a smile as she points to the display window. "How much does that shirt cost?"

"Two hundred pounds, ma'am."

Allen has but thirty pounds in her wallet right now, and she had been hoping not to overdraw on her credit facilities this month, but Christmas is right around the corner, and that shirt would be a perfect complement to the new suit Kanda had ordered.

_To buy or not to buy? _Allen wondered. _I could always get him something cheaper. Like a huge stock of green tea sachets. But that wouldn't be – I want out first Christmas together to be special._

"I'll get it," Allen says. She nods, as if to reassure herself. "I'll get it."

:::

They are poor, and they are in love.

They met at the playground in their early childhood, spent their teenage years quarrelling and fighting with each other, fell in love, and ended up getting married straight after Allen graduated from college.

Allen juggles two waitressing jobs because she can't find a decent job in the social work industry, while Kanda works part-time as a chef as he attends auditions and waits for a successful casting call to reach him (it hasn't yet).

Allen and Kanda are two young people, trying to find their way in the world. They are poor, and they are in love.

They are poor, in love, but alas for them, it is Christmas, the time of giving (and of receiving).

:::

Kanda is not sure what to buy for Allen. A piece of jewellery? A new dress? A great deal of food to satiate her frequent hunger pangs? A holiday, a respite from the gnawing beat of the city of London?

"Get her a hair treatment voucher," Lenalee suggests. "She's getting her hair coloured, right? A hair treatment would be something nice. You should pamper Allen."

"I second that," Lavi says. "It's a good present. Easy peasy!"

Kanda nods. Of course, Lenalee and Lavi have no idea how threadbare his finances are at the moment. Everything is tight for them now. But a hair treatment voucher sounded like a good idea. He wanted to make Allen happy since this would be their first Christmas together as a married couple.

A hair treatment voucher it was, then.

:::

"Merry Christmas, Kanda!" Allen says, throwing her arms around her husband.

Kanda smiles at her. "Good morning."

"What's for breakfast?" Allen asks, yawning.

"Your favourite foods."

"Thanks," Allen says, watching as Kanda heaped the food on her plate. Bacon, eggs, sausages, pancakes – with a handsome husband and a warm house to round it up, what more could she ask for?

"I've got a present for you!" Allen says, presently, when she finishes her food.

"I've got one for you too."

"Here," Allen says, pushing a beautifully wrapped box to Kanda.

Kanda accepts it and hands Allen a small folder.

"You open your present first!" Allen says, smiling widely.

Kanda carefully tears apart the wrapping paper and holds up a white cotton shirt. "Why –?"

"I thought it would look good with your new suit," Allen says. "especially when you go for auditions. What do you think?"

"Thanks," Kanda says. "I –"

"Pardon?"

"Nothing," Kanda says. "Open yours."

Allen flips the folder open. She inches out a slip of paper and her eyes widen. "A voucher? For hair? Thanks, Kanda. This must have cost you a lot..."

"You can use it after you colour your hair."

"Kanda – I – I'm not going to get my hair coloured anymore. I could still use this, though. Thanks! It's a perfect gift."

"Why aren't you going to do the colour anymore?"

"I can't. I don't have enough money for it this month, oops."

"Have you been overspending?"

"I –"

Kanda connects the dots: the new white shirt, Allen's reluctance to elaborate. "You don't have the money because you bought me the shirt."

"No!"

"Don't think you can trick me," Kanda says.

"How did you guess?"

Kanda shrugs.

"I just wanted to make this Christmas a happy one for us," Allen says. "I can always colour my hair another time."

"You wanted it so much... You dislike this colour, don't you?"

"Yeah but I can live with it for a while longer," Allen says, taking Kanda's hands in her own. "Now let me see you in that shirt, Kanda. Oh, you might as well bring that suit of yours out and try them all together!"

"I can't."

"You can't what?" Allen asks.

"I don't have the suit."

"Why? Has it been delayed?"

"I cancelled the order," Kanda says.

"Why?"

"To pay for your voucher."

"Kanda, you shouldn't have!"

Kanda puts an arm around Allen's shoulders. "I want out first Christmas together to be happy too."

"I love you," Allen says, and Kanda reached down to kiss Allen.

When they break apart, Kanda is smiling. "Merry Christmas," he says.

:::

They are poor, in love, and very happy at Christmastime.

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A/N: I thought I'd write something for Christmas. This was adapted from The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry – a highly touching Christmas tale – and I have rendered it into a cheesy tale. Sigh.

Regardless, thank you for reading, and may you have a very Merry Christmas! (:


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